Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The Archibald-Adams House, built in 1793, is one of the
oldest houses in Cherryfieldand has
been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.This classic foursquare Federal home at 122
Main Street was built by Thomas Archibald in the then “modern” New English Adam
style, and although this was also the style of the highway taverns of the day,
this mansion was constructed as a family home and housed Archibalds, Adamses
and Campbells and their Celtic-American descendents until the mid-1900s.

Like most old houses, this one, locally known as the Adams
House, underwent renovations and updates over the course of two centuries that
reflected new ideas and modern technologies.Not all these “improvements” were kind to the house.Then in the 1990s the house fell into loving
and knowledgeable hands and its original conservative post-revolutionary
interior decoration was restored.A
modern country kitchen was added, fireplaces were once again exposed and the
house was returned to its original colonial splendor.

It seems entirely fitting that the house is once again in
the hands of a person from the British Isles, Englishman Peter Winham and his
wife Kathy.The Winhams met in England
on an archeological dig and lived on the plains of South Dakota for twenty
years where they worked at their profession and raised their family.It was the desire for a change of geography
that prompted them to consider moving to New England.As a teenager, Kathy had lived in Connecticut
and now, as an empty-nester, she wanted to return east.She had little trouble selling Peter on the
idea.

After a fruitless search for archeology positions, they
began an Internet search for a place that would provide both a home and a
living.In the autumn of 2004 they
visited the Adams House on the last day of looking at possibilities in
Washington County.The house spoke to
their archeologists’ hearts and in January of 2005 they moved in with Mickey,
the friendly house cat, and boxes and boxes of “stuff,” but little
furniture.Then began a crash course in
period decorating and the work of creating a unique Bed and Breakfast.

Like native Mainers, the Winhams use the side entrance and
stepping into the Englishman’s B & B is like stepping back in time, with
subtle differences.The house is
furnished with antiques and period pieces culled from local shops, auctions and
estate sales.Quality reproductions fill
in the gaps and touches of chinoiserie, as might be found in any such stately
home in a New England sea-faring village, strike just the right note of
sophistication, restrained elegance and country charm.

The guest lounge originally served as the Archibald’s formal
parlor and later as Judge Joseph Adams’ courtroom.In the closet museum one can see the judge’s
court log book documenting in his own handwriting what transpired there between
1819-1835.The book has pride of place
in the collection of relics on display and was reportedly found under a floorboard
in the attic when the house was renovated in the 1990s.A complete history of the house is available
for perusal over a cuppa, for here in the lounge guests are also treated to tea
in the English tradition.

Officially, tea is served to guests who arrive by five
o’clock, but being English, Peter can be persuaded to make tea at almost any
hour.Teas of Cherryfield is another new
venture for the Winhams and dovetails nicely with the Bed and Breakfast
business.They distribute gourmet teas
at wholesale and retail and serve the fresh-brewed beverage to their guests
along with a variety of elegant teacakes, including the scones and Eccles cakes
for which Peter’s native land is justly famous.Being in Cherryfield, the Wild Blueberry
Capitol of the World, one is not surprised to find blueberry pound cake and
blueberry muffins on the teacart as well.

In the Keeping Room, guests may choose a complete English
breakfast – a hearty offering of eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomato, baked
beans and fried potatoes – or just about anything else they may desire.The Winhams aim to please and “since we’re
small, we can take personal care of guests preferences,” they say, thinking
perhaps of customizing their service to provide just what the guest requires,
including, but not limited to, catering to special diets, providing car service
or taking guests to places of special interest.They hope to develop services that will fill a niche market and are
presently feeling their way along to discover just what their particular niche
will be.

It could be as simple as providing a front row seat for
watching bald eagles fishing on the Narraguagus River that runs behind the
property.The original
twelve-over-twelve windows in the spacious guest rooms provide spectacular
views of the river and in autumn and winter, eagles can often be seen perched
in the bare trees waiting for supper to swim within range.In warmer weather, both the veranda that
runs around half the house and the screened gazebo out in the yard provide
inviting venues for just settin’ a spell with a cup of tea and a good
view.

Especially agreeable guests might even get to see the old
Post Office - now part of the proprietor’s quarters – for the Winhams are
nothing if not enthusiastic about their new role as custodians of this museum
quality national landmark and their new and very welcome venture in historic
Cherryfield.For more information visit
on-line at www.englishmansbandb.com
and www.teasofcherryfield.com
or call 207-546-2337.

“Rankism” is the mother of all
isms.It’s children, sexism, ageism, and
racism, are spawn of this most basic form of injustice – discrimination based
on rank, which has given rise to all other isms.Low rank – which manifests as weakness,
vulnerability and the absence of power – marks people for abuse in much the
same way that race, religion, gender and sexual orientation have long
done.Although far more pervasive,
rankism may be harder to confront, for there are no obvious differences in
persons, i.e. gender or skin color, to mark its victims.

In truth, as Robert W. Fuller
eloquently demonstrates in Somebodies and Nobodies, nearly everyone has
been a victim of rankism at one time or another in their life.Each one of us knows what it feels like to be
a “nobody” from some experience at home, at play, in school or work or in some
social situation.In the off chance that
one’s own personal dignity has never been violated, we have surely witnessed
some instance ofrankism that made us
feel uncomfortable or perhaps we have been guilty of“pulling rank” on someone ourselves.When an individual gains some measure of
power, he/she becomes a “somebody.”When
that somebody then impugns the natural human dignity of anyone below them in
rank, rankism has occurred.In other
words, rank itself is not the problem any more than gender or race are the
problem; it’s the abuse of rank that is the problem.

Fuller goes to considerable length
to explain the need for rank and the legitimate uses of rank versus the abuses
of rank and why rank matters in any organization from the family to the
international community.“Within each
niche where it has been earned, rank has proven utility, legitimacy, and
deserves our respect.”There follows a
detailed analysis of the toll rank abuse takes on personal relationships,
productivity, learning, leadership and spirit.

He explores the human hunger for
recognition as identity food and the disorders that can manifest when this need
is not met.“Chronic recognition
deficiencies can culminate in recognition disorders (analogous to eating
disorders) that are so severe, they take the form of aggressive behavior- even
war and genocide.And once the tables
are turned and former oppressors seen as “nobodies,” consciences are disengaged
and anything goes.A simple test for
telling if a group of people is in the grip of evil is whether the dignity of
people outside the group is completely disregarded.Equally as dangerous as the much discussed
gap between the rich and the poor is the dignity-indignity gap.”

A closer look at Somebodies and
Nobodies reveals that “recognition is not about whether we are a
somebody or a nobody, but rather about whether we feel we’re taken for a
somebody or a nobody.The willingness of
others to acknowledge us is a measure of their respect.Unrecognized, we feel rejected; we’re cast as
non-persons, pawns in other peoples’ employ.Recognized, we count, we matter, we may even find ourselves in charge.”

Screenwriter Lowell Ganz (with
Babaloo Mandel), Hollywood screenwriters, are credited with saying, “Nobody in
America wants to be a nobody. As a
nation, as a society, we’re supposed to get somewhere.It’s not ‘Well, my grandfather was a
carpenter, my father was a carpenter and I’ll be a carpenter.’That’s very European.Here, everybody is supposed to reach for the
brass ring.God forbid you fail.”Fuller explains this hunger for recognition
in considerable length in a segment entitled “Up and Down the Status Ladder,”
which leads unerringly to a study of “The Somebody Mystique” and the
fascination in our culture with those of genius, celebrity, fame and
success.

This examination of how we’ve
gotten to where we are paves the way for Fuller to present some suggestions for
beginning “The Quest for Dignity.”Any
problem must be identified if it is to be understood and overcome.Thus “rankism” is the name given to abuse of
power and discrimination based on rank.I found the section “Beyond Political Correctness” particularly
insightful, wherein Fuller observes, “If moral instruction is to take hold, it
must be given in a way that honors the dignity of learner and teacher
alike.Delivered with the slightest
whiff of patronization, it is doomed to failure.You can’t overcome rankism with rankism.”

Fuller sees “an unheralded, unnamed
revolution...unfolding in our midst.Everywhere, people are becoming less willing to put up with
disrespect.And, like all revolutions,
this one is about the distribution of power.”In this case it is about the relative power of the individual and he
calls it “A Dignitarian Movement.”“The
full democratic vision [of real equality for all] will remain unrealized until
its motivating principle – circumscribing rank – is applied to the social
institutions that shape our lives on a daily basis,” or, stated another way,
until our homes and interpersonal relationships, our schools, churches, health
providers and business enterprises democratize authority.

Like any grass roots revolution, it
begins with the individual’s willingness and ability to win respect and
safeguard personal dignity and extend that consideration to the next
person.“At first mention, the notion of
Nobodies’ Liberation sounds like a joke” Fuller says.“It appears naive and utopian to imagine that
nobodies might someday join together as a group and move the world to respect
their dignity.The histories of the
black and women’s movements suggest, however, that what begins in the hearts of
a few as an intimation of fairness and justice can become social reality within
generations.”

“One new idea is needed to fuel
this movement: that discrimination based on power disparities is no more
justified than that based on differences in race or gender.One new word can ignite it: ‘rankism.’”

Charlie Hitchings has been growing
organic blueberries for thirty years at Spring River Farm in Cherryfield and
actively cultivating them for almost a decade.On May 10, researchers and scientists from the University of Maine Orono
and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) gathered there to
observe the results of his labors.This
was the first conference to be held on a grower’s fields under the aegis of The
Blueberry Organic Transition Project, which seeks to establish best practices
for growers of low bush blueberries who wish to move from conventional methods
to organic growing methods.

Blessed with a beautiful sunny
morning, they followed Charlie over hill and dale, through woods and across
streams to the barrens on a corner of his 400-acre farm, to observe his methods
and results first-hand.Any time one
inserts oneself into the natural order of things, life gets complex, but
Hitchings is trying to work with Mother Nature as much as possible.

Therefore, the compost heap, that
backbone of organic practices, was the first stop on the tour.Here project leader, Frank Drummond,
Professor of Insect Pest Management, Department of Biological Sciences,
University of Maine, began the lively questioning that Hitchings enjoyed
throughout the two-hour field trip.As
might be expected, Eric Sideman, Director of Technical Services, MOFGA, also
asked detailed questions about composting and made quite a study of this
five-foot pile of dirt and granite dust, blueberry and other vegetable wastes,
sawdust, rock phosphate, potassium sulfate and horse manure.

Organic production requires organic
rather than synthetic chemical fertilizer, and here Hitchings is abundantly
aided by his wife, Deb Ballam, who keeps five horses for breeding and providing
equestrian therapy for the mentally handicapped.As a bonus, they also provide just the
organic ingredient Hitchings needs for his compost heap.

The group followed a dirt road that
wound onto the barrens where evidence of the past few years of drought was
clearly visible.Some spots that had
been fried by the unusually hot and dry conditions have given way to
grass.Here, David Yarborough,
Extension Blueberry Specialist and Professor of Horticulture had many questions
relating to his fields of expertise - crop management, weed control and field
cover.Organic growing eschews the use
of herbicides and the grass that moved in during the drought has subsided
somewhat according to Hitchings, as a result of his mulching and weeding
efforts.The occasional application of
elemental sulfur has also been found to help lower the PH of the soil and
minimize grasses.

Seanna Annis, Assistant Professor
of Mycology, University of Maine, is an expert in plant pathology, mummyberry,
stem blight and leaf spot diseases and throughout the ramble, she searched for
signs of these problems.One objective
of organic growing is to produce strong plants that are naturally resistant to
disease, but these enemies can spring up anywhere at any time as all farmers
know.

The relative benefits of burning
and mowing were of great interest to all, particularly John Smagula, Professor
of Horticulture at UM and an expert in physiology and culture, crop management
and propagation.Hitchings mows and
burns.He has found that a schedule of
mowing and burning promotes growth and production while contributing to the
control of pest infestation and disease.Burning vegetable waste is not permitted by federal organic standards
except for burning of diseased plant matter.Since Hitchings considers burning essential for optimum results in the
cultivation of low bush blueberries, he has created his own trademark brand,
“Eco-Conserve,” which allows burning, but is more restrictive in other respects
than the national standards for organic production.For instance, to qualify as Eco-Conserve
berries, no exotic bees may be introduced into the fields.Instead, the grower must enhance the
environment so local bees will be available to do the job of pollination.Sprays of any kind, organic or otherwise,
are also prohibited, as are “dead animal” fertilizers i.e. those that contain
blood meal and/or bone meal.

The scientists on this survey
discussed insects and fertility at great length.Hitchings’ farm provides good “bee pasture,”
a varied landscape full of the materials bees require in order to thrive.Wild bees need access to water and food, and
sometimes oils, resins, leaves and mud are essential.They also need optimal nest sites,
over-wintering habitat and mating sites in order to sustain a strong population
of pollinators, and flowering plants that are good pollen and nectar resources
for bees must be available from early spring to late summer to insure their
presence in numbers.These flowering
trees, woody shrubs and herbaceous plants serve multiple roles as wind breaks,
floral resources, mating and nesting sites.

It is estimated that only 1% of the
wild blueberries grown in Maine are grown organically.These wild blueberries are already highly
prized and the present demand far exceeds the supply.It is therefore possible for growers to get
more money per quart from their fresh berry customers, as much as 20 to 50%
more in Hitchings’ experience .As the
healthful properties of blueberries become more widely known, it is anticipated
that the demand for organically grown blueberries will increase
exponentially.Since wild blueberries
are smaller than their high-bush cousins, they have more blue skin surface per
quart, making them richer in the antioxidants for which blueberries are
becoming famous.Hitchings has also
compared organically grown wild blueberries with their conventionally grown
brothers and finds the skin of the organic berry just a bit thicker.This makes them easier to handle and far more
flavorful.

It is the goal of The Blueberry
Organic Transition Project, now in its second year operating under a four-year
grant, to add information about organic methods to their already extensive
resources on wild blueberry growing.Go
to www.wildblueberries.maine.edu.for more information on all phases of low
bush blueberry culture and to contact Frank Drummond or any of these
professionals.

Frank Drummond plans to have best
practices information available for those who want to make the transition from
conventional growing methods to organic methods and he’s doing it with the help
of experienced growers like Charlie Hitchings who have been at it for thirty
years.

About Me

Burndett Andres left office management in New Jersey in 2002 and retired with her partner to Cherryfield, Maine. A diarist all her life, she has been writing for many years for her own pleasure and the amusement of family and friends. After moving to Maine, her time was divided between restoring an 1840’s house and keeping a daily journal, which she has finally organized into Maine, At Last, the book that tells the tale.
The story of that first year in Downeast Maine is drawn directly from this journal. “I tell our story journal-style because daily entries have such an intimate quality and draw the reader into the day-to-day activities of settling into the new home and community,” she says. “It is also a good format for revealing the gradual and often comical progress in do-it-yourself renovation. When a journal is translated into a narrative, I think much of that spontaneity and immediacy are lost. Besides, I love journals, diaries, and letters. I love reading them and I love writing them. They are real. Uncontrived. They are uncensored windows into someone’s life, in this case ours, and as such they can be very revealing.”